Boll-weevil destroyer.



. JUHNSGN L Ei W. RAMSEY.

BOLL `WBEVIL DESTROYER.

R. PL JOHNSON (i: B. W. RAMSEY.

BOLL WEEVIL DESTROYER. f APPLICATION FILED MAE. 23, 1909.

Patented al'. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS--BHEBT 2.

D) 11 van lozcS M u 91W Wi fummo y wenn i; rara le or Ditmar,Louisiana'.

BOLL-WEEVIL DESTROYER.

lldltelll.,

Specieaton of Lettersatent.

application mea nai-c1123, 190e. serial no. assale.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it .known that we, Burns l. doriNsoN and ELI lll'. Ramsar, citizensof the United States, residing at Dailey, Jackson parish, and State ofLouisiana, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements inBolll)estroyers, of which the following is a specification.

(lur invention relatesl to boll weev'l destroyers.

The hibernated Aboll weevil lines from twelve to forty-eight days afterhibernation and punctures some of the iirst squares that appear on vthecotton plant, depositing eggs in the cotton squares which immediatelydrop off the plant, carrying with them the eggs which subsequentlygerminate y into adult boll weevils. rll`he adult boll weevil has thepeculiar characteristic that when disturbed while on the plant, it willsullt and drop off to the ground. -A

appreciating these facts, the present invention has for its object theprovision of a novel machineadapted for taking up the fallen cottonsquares and contained weevils which have dropped from the plant-s on tothejgrouud and which will also be adapted to pass and agitate the cottonplant and thereby cause the loose cotton squares that have beenpunetured and also the adult boll weevils to fall totheground, wherebynot only the adult weevils are destroyed but the larvae of the weevilare also destroyed, thus effectuallyridding the plants and ground of thepest.

In carrying outour invention we employ a suction apparatus of novelconstruction carried by a moving` vehicle, which sucks up the fallensquares, the larvae, and adult wee- 1 is a side elevation, partly insection; and' Fig. 2, a plan View. f

The apparatus is carried by a suitable vehicle 1 which may be drawn by ahorse or otherwise suitably propelled.

Secured tothe rear axle 2 is a gear 3. lf

desired the-traction wheels 4t may be con# nected to the axle 2 by pawland ratchet mechanlsm so that any backward movement relatively slowvrJournaled in a. suitable box o carried by ion 7 meshing with the gearlarge gnear pinion 9 on 8 which in turn meshes with a a shaft l0journaled -in standards 4latrented' lldar. 12W..

1 1 and vcarrying a belt'wheel 12. This pro-v vides a multiplyinggearing whereby the rotation of the axle 2 is transformed intocomparatively high rate of rotation of the'belt wheel 12. The pinion 7is preferablyloosely splined on its shaft as at 13 so that it may beslipped into or out of ineshwith the gear'S, a lever 14: being providedfor the convenient operation of this gear, whereby the exhaust apparatusmaybethrown out of operation at instance, whenthe machine is moving toor from the field. l

Mounted on the frame l is-an exhaust fan 15 the shaft'16 of which isprovided with a pulley 18 vwhich is connected by a belt 19 to. thepulley 12 whereby the rate of rotation' of the 'fan is multiplied muchbeyond that of the pulley 12. rlfhe discharge .0r outlet any time, as,for

20 of the fan leads into a receptacle 21 whose sides are preferablyscreened, said receptacle being made detachable so that it can bereadily removed to destroy the contents,

thereof. rlhe inlet or suction pipe 22 of the fan 'depends from themachine and is provided with any desired number of mouths or hoods 23which are, by preference, made of rubber or other suitable flexiblefabric whereby they will yield or ive, thus preventing injury. to thecotton p ants. These mouths or hoods will the better suck up the fallencotton squares and the larvae, but by reason of their flexibilit,,'tl1ey gently agitate the cotton plants, without injuring them, andthus shake oft' the adult weev1ls or cause them to sulk and drop olf andby providing a-plurality of these suction mouths or complete gatheringof the fallen cotton squares, larvae, and adult weevils is insured.

In operation the machine is drawn along' the exhaust fans being given ahigh rate of .rotation by the motion of the vehicle, the Vsuction mouthsgathering up the weevlls,

fallen squares, and adult weevils and displacing the squares which-areloose on the cotton plants, the entire Imass being sucked up into thepipe 22 and thence blown, vla pipe 20, into the receptacle 21.Subsequently of the vehicle will not cause operation of i the receptacle2l is removed and its contents the apparatus.

destroyed. When use of the suction appaare Ypreferably flared so thatthey' hoods, the

ratus is not required, the leverA Mis operated y t'oiiiiiiieshl thecaring. y

Having thus escribed our invention, what we claim as new and desireto-securevby Let- \1. In a cotton boll Weevil destroyer the combinationwith a suction apparatus adapted to be moved about the plants, of anenlarged, hood-like suction inouth of flexible material Iincommunication with the suction apparatus and adapted to be presented to'and about the plants.

2. In a cotton boll weevil destroyer, the combination with -a movablevehicle, of a suction apparatus carried thereby, a. stationary dependingsuction pipe in communication with the suction apparatus, and anenlarged, hood-like-suction mouth of flexible material carried by saidpipe in position to move adjacent the plants.v n

y 13. In a cotton boll Weevil destroyer, the combination With a movablevehicle, of a suction ap aratus ycarried thereby, and a plurality` ofepending suction mouths located in line,V one behind the otheiinposition to move' adjacent the plants.

4L In a cotton boll weevil destroyer, the

'combination with a movable vehicle-ot a Asuction apparatus carriedthereby, a stationary depending suction pipe in communication with thesuction apparatus, branches extending from saidpipe in front and rear ithereof, and enlarged, hood-like, suction mouths, of flexible material,carried lby the pipe and the respective branches, oiielbehind -theother, iii position to inove adjacent the plants.

In testimony whereof, we lhereunto ailix our signatures in presence oftwo witnesses.

RUFUS P. JOHNSON.'

ELI IV. RAMSEY.

Witnesses IVM. H. HEARN, G. C. GARNER.

